Ashes
by AniGirl15
Summary: Before one killed the entire clan. Before the other made it his life's mission to avenge. Before everything went wrong... there was the forest. Oneshot


I do not own Naruto or any of the characters, settings, techniques, etc.

I wrote this before seeing the Naruto vs. Sasuke fight. I know it lacks consistency with the series. Please try to ignore that.

-I-I-I-I-

**Ashes**

_Animals are interesting creatures._

The sound of his breathing disappeared.

_Each species developed its own specific means for survival._

He took a silent step on the branch.

_The small become fast._

A slow peek around the trunk.

_The large become strong._

Even his heart softened its beating.

_All as the laws of nature dictate._

A small chirping sound.

_This is why we humans have advanced so far._

A soft rustle of feathers.

_We have somehow overcome our primal survival instincts._

A flawless fall.

_We have become able to think._

His chakra held him to the underside of the limb.

_We have become able to strive._

A quick glance revealed to him that his prey hadn't moved.

_We have become able to surpass._

Soundlessly, instantly, he moved around the trunk

_And thus, we defy the laws of natural creatures._

There was no flutter of wings.

_We develop differently._

He cautiously crouched, pressing as close as he dared to the bark.

_The large can be fast._

A quick reach up and over, and his hand closed around a small body.

_The small can be strong._

Desperate chirps rang out, and then a snap.

Itachi pulled his hand back into his sight, inspecting his catch.

"It seems I broke your wing."

The bird squirmed violently, flapping with its good limb, pecking at the fingers that encircled its body.

"Yes, struggle. Struggle and see the futility in it."

He reached with his other hand, expertly grabbing a feather from the fluttering mass and pulling it out, watching the small trickle of blood that followed.

"You are small and fast. But once captured, you are helpless. You are not strong enough to escape me."

He snapped the other wing, and the bird went limp. The heart still beat. An escape tactic.

"You do not give me enough credit, _kotori_. I am not like you; I know more than just survival."

His grip tightened, and the creature fluttered again.

"In order to be fast and fly, you sacrificed your strong bones. Now they are only weak and fragile. Humans have progressed so much farther than everything else..."

Snapping sounds.

"Size is irrelevant. Speed and strength come to those who seek it. Only those with the desire to excel will reach their fullest potential. Without desire there is no improvement. And the strongest form of desire..."

He let his hand fall open.

"Is the desire to kill."

He watched the body drop to the ground, lifeless and bloody.

"_Katon goukakyuu no jutsu._"

Flames burst forth, licking at the feathers, burning the flesh. Itachi stood up; looking on as the corpse slowly disappeared into smoke and ash.

_It could have been burnt leaves for target practice and no one would know. When it comes down to it, that's what everything is..._

Itachi ceased the flow of chakra through his feet, flipping over and landing on the ground. He headed back towards his home, leaving the cinders without so much of a glance back.

_It's all burnt leaves._

-I-I-I-I-

"_Nii-san_! You said you'd teach me some _ninjutsu_ today!"

"Don't you have to go to the academy?"

"_Iie_. We have a day off today. That's why I asked you before, remember?"

"... Sasuke..."

He gestured the other over. His little brother walked towards him, expectantly. The boy never learned...

"Forgive me."

Itachi lifted his hand, watching the familiar expression of realization dawn on Sasuke's face. How easy it would be. Extend the thumb, stop raising his hand several inches earlier, reach around the unguarded neck. And then snap, as easy as the bird.

"Ow!"

At some point he'd have to learn. If Sasuke couldn't learn, then he couldn't be trusted with what Itachi wanted him to do.

"I have other things to do."

"But_ nii-san_! You promised!"

"Ask someone else. I'm not the only one who can use _ninjutsu_."

"But, you promised..."

-I-I-I-I-

"Sharingan!"

Itachi inhaled sharply, feeling the strain of the bloodline limit on his body. How long had he been training? It must be well past noon by now...

_Once more... I can pull off another attack..._

"_Katon goukakyuu no jutsu._"

A steady stream of flames shot forth, and he instantly felt the stress. His chakra was nearly exhausted.

_Just keep it going for fifteen seconds... twelve... ten... nine... eight..._

A snapping sound caused Itachi to abruptly cut off his attack. He turned to determine its source, disengaging the sharingan.

_Sasuke? Was I too involved in my training and I didn't notice him approaching?_

"_Nii-san_... everyone else says they're busy or tells me to go ask you..."

"Sasuke... I told you... I have other... things to do..."

He was breathing hard. Sasuke looked at him a moment in awe.

"What was that technique that you were just doing? It looked really cool... I wanna learn it..."

"_Katon goukakyuu_. It's not... something someone would be able... to do at your age."

"But you promised me you'd teach me _ninjustu_!"

Itachi caught sight of a pile of ash near the edge of the forest path.

"... If I teach you something, will you not bother me anymore?"

"Eh? You'll really teach me!"

"Only if you leave me alone afterwards."

"_Hai_!..."

Sasuke caught Itachi's gaze, following it to the burnt corpse of a bird.

"_Nii-san_, what's that?"

Maybe he could learn with just the smallest push.

"A pile of burnt leaves."


End file.
